The Holy Mountain are an Oslo, Norway-based synth-pop band who first came to my attention earlier this year thanks to their single Remains Unsaid. The track features on their now released EP, They Are Asleep.
By Graeme Smith
Feature photo by Katinka Hustad
In my review of Remains Unsaid, I explained about the depth of The Holy Mountain’s sound, which is much more than its synth-pop label. That becomes even truer of They Are Asleep. Over five tracks we are shown the depth and breadth of their sound, which truly is like little else out there.
Opening track Never Know sets the scene with a moody, percussive, accordion-laden groove. Haunting vocals hold the ear, as does the complexity of the instrumental. The EP’s most recent single Searing Light comes next and delivers a tale of stepping out of the darkness with a driving and dramatic arrangement. There’s something almost ecclesiastical about its composition, freshened by some striking pop sensibilities.
Remains Unsaid sits as the EP’s centrepiece, every bit the vibrant and bouncy wonder I remember it to be. It really gets you moving along. The EP is rounded off by The Third Place and Nature, A Sermon. The former hits hard with some rumbling bass and rousing percussion, while the latter gives us a rich and cinematic farewell.
With their unique and captivating sound, The Holy Mountain are poised to take on the world. They Are Asleep is a wonderfully constructed EP, full of emotion that’s expertly brought to life through captivating vocals and unconventional instrumentals. I can’t wait to hear what they do next!
The Holy Mountain are Andreas Angell on accordion, Aleksander Tidemann on beats and synth, and Catharina Janner Røed on vocals. They Are Asleep was recorded and mixed by Marcus Forsgen at Studio Paradiso and mastered by Espen Høydalsvis. You can give the EP a listen below.